Time-indicating device



W. A. LYONS.

TIME INDICATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 050.4. 1920.

1,397,319, Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

" 2 SHEETSSHEET l.

J72 mm 702 Mil/Lam Al a/M W. A. LYONSi TIME INDICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.4, 1920.

1,397,31 9. Patented NOV. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V In 0612 0),

WZZZLa/rzjl Zjfilid WILLIAM A. LYONS, 0F LITGHFIELD, MINNESOTA.

TIME-INDICATING DEVICE.

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Specification ofLettersPatent. Pg figntgd N 15 1921 Application filed December 4, 1920. Serial No. 428,267;

tion. indicating devices for use in railroad.

stations,hotels and public places generally and more .particularlyto that class, having indicia carrying mechanism arranged in connection with clock work havingordinary time indicating clock hands.

An object of the invention is to provide, inja device of the class described an improved novel construction, whereby a rotary partly visible placard, arranged concentric with a clock dial, and with the spindle whereon are supported the clock hands, may be conveniently rotated to any arbitrarily selected positionand held so positioned, independently of the clock spindle, thenovel construction, rendering the dev'icecommerciallvpractical, in that the placard may be readily removed from the rear of the device and yet be visible from in front of same.-

A. further object of the invention, is to i provide a device ofthe class described which will be-dust proof, light in weight, compact and cheap ofconstruction, as well asefficient and neat in appearance.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of my improved device, partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of. one of the time and direction indicating-units partly broken away. a i

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4.- is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, drawnon an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a front, view. ofthe placard or rotary indicia carrying element, and. i

6 is a fragmentary front view of one of the clock dials.

A designates a rectangular, comparatively thin casing, comprising top and bottom walls 1,, and side walls 2, the walls having longitudinally a shoulder 3, -whereon rests the inner supporting or partition walla,

suitably secured to said shoulder. The front 1 wall 5 of the casing, has apertures 6, shown arranged in two vertically spaced llOIlZOIllZZLl rows, each aperture representing the center of a clock dial 7 forming part of what will herelnafter be referred to as a whole, as

a time indicating unit. "A single unit will be described as all units are similar. Opposite each aperture, cutting through the supporting wall 4, is the bore 8, surrounded by a v the rearwardly extending sleeve 9. Having a hub 11 bored to fit around said sleeve is the circular placard or display disk 10, said hub. being flush with the sleeve, and extend mg through and slightly beyond theopposite side of said disk, so that the latter will be slightly spaced from the wall 4 to render it freely rotatable, Perforations 12 arranged in a circle concentric with the dial 7, form radially disposed teeth 13, adapted to mesh with the stud gear '14 rigid onsthe shaft 15. The shaft 15 is horizontally disposed in a plane parallel with the wall 4 and is journaled on thebracket 16, which latter is firmly secured to the walls 4 and 5 and serves as a spreader therebetween. The edge of the gear 14 extends through a slotted opening 17 n the wall 4, so as to mesh with the teeth 13. Rigid on'the shaft 15, is the miter gear 18, in mesh with the miter gean,

19, the latter rigid onthe vertically disposed stem 2-0, said stem being journaled at its lower end in the bracket 21, and at its upper, in the top wall 1 of the casing. The

stem extends through and beyond the casing, and is provided with a thumb nut 22. By grasping the nut with the hand and turning sarne, the disk may be revolved to any arbitrarily selected position. The wall 5 which is preferably of sheet metal forms the 1 back of the casing A, and is suitably screwed to the walls 2, so that it maybe easily removed. The' wall is provided with doors 15 adjacent the disksof the several time indicating units (of which any number may be employed) so that they may be easily removed for the purpose of changing, when desired, the declaratory; matter displayed thereon. i i i Suitably secured on the front of the wall.

5. concentric withflthe apertures 6, is the ring 23 suitably beaded at its free edge to hold the glass 24, the latter resting upon the ring insert 25, to hold it positioned.

Cutting through the wall 5 above and adjacent the ring 23 and concentric therewith,

is the arched opening 26, said opening extending a distance on either side ofa vertical line intersecting the center of the disk. Opposite the opening 26, is a similarly shaped" opening 27, cutting through the wall 4,.so as to expose a sectlon of the disk 10 to view, through said openings. The opening 26 is somewhat larger than the opening 27, so as to render the disk visible, when the device is hung in elevated position; "A tapered lining 28 extending between the walls 4 and 5 keeps the dust from entering the casing. The disk 10, shown, is impressed 'with the words, North South East and West designating the points of the compass to indicate the direction in which a certain train is travellng and with A. M. and P. -M. to indicate whether before or'past meridian. To indicate the hour and minute of day, an ordinaryclock dial isused, having an hour hand 29and minute hand 30.. For conveniently "moving the hands in synchrony, by simply turning-a button positioned-in lateral .allnement with the button 22, the following derendered neat in appearance. Journaled in the bore 8, is the hand arbor 31, extending forwardly through the aperture 6, andcarrying at its outer extremity the minute hand 30. The rearmost portion of the arbor is reduced in diameter to form a stud suitably threaded to receive the lock nuts '32, which latter overlap the hub 11 of the disk, thereby serving to hold it positioned' Shown integral with'the arbor, is the gear 33 meshing with the gear 34, which latter is rigidly mounted on the shaft 35. Rigid on the quill 36, which latter'rotatably fits over the arbor and extends to theminute hand beyond the wall 5, is. the germ, mesh ingwith the pinion'38 on the shaft 35, The

3 quill carries at its forward end,rthe hour hand 29. Rigid on the shaft 35, is the crown wheel 39 in mesh with the pinion 40, thelatter rigid onthe shaft 41 journaled in the bracket '42. k The shaft 42', is disposed parallel to the shaft 15, .and the bracket 42 extends between. the V walls 4 and, 5 after the manner of'bracket 16.

Opposite the pinion 40, on the' shaft 4 1,

ing, and having .a thumb nut 45' atits free end, similar to the nut 22. The stem 45 has bearing in a bracket similar to bracket21 said brackets being suitablysecured to. the

supporting wall 4., The train of gears 37 ,38, '39a-nd 40 316S0'P1'0POItlOIlBd diametral pitch, as oompared'with the train formed by the gears, 33;, 34, 39 and 40, as to cause ratio of l to .12. By turningthe'thumb thereby rendered more or less difficult to read the arched opening 26 becoming too deep in proportion to its width. In a device of this kind the'disks must be easily removable, to render it commercially practicabl'e, because offrequent changes in the printed matter thereon, it being understood that the device maybe used in schools for announcinglecture topics and the time of delivery of the lecture, and; for many other analogous purposes By opening'the door 15 and removingthe units 32 thedisk of any unit may be easily removed. Suitable label holders B, above the apertures 27 are provided, to hold cards carrying the names of the particular railroad to which the several time-indicating devices relate.

I claim V 1. A device of the class described, com prising a pair of spaced plates held in paral lelism, one behind the other, a plurality of units of the class described, spaced from one anothen supported on said plates, each of said units comprising an arbor perpendic- 'ular" to said plates and extending between and through and beyond said plates v and journaled'in the rear platethereof, a clock dial concentric withsaid arbor on the frontplate, an aperture above said clock'dial out through each of said plates one behind the other, hand operable time indicating mechanism, including anhour and a minute hand supported on said arbor in front of said dial, said indicatingmecha nism extending laterally and upwardly between said plates around one side ofsaidapertures to avoid obstruction of the line of vision through same and to and beyond the outer edge ofsaid plates to be'operated thereat, and hand operable sign display'mechanism', including a rotary placard rotatably supported to the 'rearof the rear plate ofsaid plates in concentric relation with said arbor, and extending over the aperture in said rear plate," ,7 I said sign display mechanism extending lat- IS, the miter gear 44, the latter rlgldly" I mpunted'on the vertically disposedstem 45 i extending through the top wall of the has orally and upwardly around the other side of the aperture in said rear plate opposite said time indicating mechanism to avoid obstruction 'of'the lines of vision through same, and to and beyond the outer edge of said plates to be operated thereat.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a pair of spaced plates held in para! lelism, one-behind the other by means of surrounding -walls,' a plurality of units 7 v h p .of the. class described, spaced. from one [the hourand minute hands to rotate at" another, supported on; said plates, each of said units comprising a clock dial.

on the front plate of saidplates, hand opering clock hands extending over said dial, operable from a position outside of said surrounding walls, for moving said hands in synchrony to indicate any selected time of day, an opening out through both of said plates over said clock dial, a device, adapted to carry indicia, movably mounted to the rear of the rear plate of said plates in a manner to pass said aperture, when actuated so as to be visible from in front of the front plate of said plates, and hand operable means operatively connected with said indicia carrying device and extending to a position outside of said surrounding walls. to operate said device therefrom.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

WILLIAM A LYONS. 

